Application Requirements & Process

The KGSP is no longer accepting Interest Forms for the 2018/2019 academic year

STEP 1: Eligible students receive an invitation to apply to the KGSP.

How do students receive an invitation to apply to the KGSP?

Select KGSP partners nominate top-ranked high school seniors in the Kingdom to apply to the KGSP. After receiving the list of nominations, the KGSP team sends all nominated students an invitation to apply to the program via email. These invitation are sent in January. Current nominating partners of the KGSP are:

Mawhiba (King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity)

The Saudi Research Science Institute

The International Olympiad Program

The Ministry of Education (MOE)

Can a student apply to the KGSP if they are not nominated by one of the above partner organizations?

Students who are not registered with or have not been nominated for the KGSP by the above partners may register their interest in the program by completing the online KGSP Interest Form. If the student meets the minimum requirements below, they may be invited to apply for the program in the second admissions cycle starting mid-March.

What are the requirements for a student to receive an invitation to apply to the KGSP?

Students not nominated by a partner organization must meet the following minimum requirements:

·Saudi Arabian national

·Current student in grade 12 (completing the final year high school)

·Current high school Grade Point Average minimum of 95/100 or equivalent

·Proficient in English language

·Qodorat or SAT:

oOption 1: Qodorat total score of 95

oOption 2: SAT Reasoning scores of 620 (mathematics) and 1090 (total)

Note: qualifying to receive an invitation to apply does not signify qualification for the KGSP selection and admission.

When are the invitations to apply sent by KGSP?

Students who are nominated by the KGSP partners have already received invitation to apply in January.

Students who submit the KGSP Interest Form and meet all the invitation requirements outlined above will receive an invitation to apply in mid-March.

What should students do if they have additional questions about receiving an invitation to apply?

STEP 2: Students complete an online application and in-person interview.

How do students apply for the KGSP after receiving an invitation?

The invitation to apply includes instructions for students to access, complete, and submit a KGSP application via the online application portal by a stated deadline.

The application includes submission of biographical information, academic history, a personal statement, and letters of recommendation from high school instructors.For assistance, students can refer to the KGSP Application Guide which is included in the invitation to apply email.

Are all applicants required to attend an in-person interview?

Yes, all applicants are required to attend an interview in-person with an interview panel from KAUST.After submitting the online application, applicants will be contacted by KGSP staff regarding the scheduling of the interview. Passing the in-person interview is a requirement for qualifying for the KGSP.

Are students required to take an English language exam as part of the application and interview process?

Applicants who do not have a qualifying English test score will be asked to sit for an English test on the same day as the interview.The English test will be administered by representatives from KAUST.Showing a strong command of written and spoken English is a requirement for qualifying for the KGSP.

When are the application deadlines?

Application deadlines are outlined in the Invitation to Apply letters.

STEP 3: Students receive the KGSP decision.

What does the KGSP Admission Committee consider when making decisions?

The KGSP Admissions Committee completes a full review of all applicants’ qualifications, taking into consideration: online application responses, interview performance, English proficiency, Qodorat, Tahsili, and other relevant test results.

How are students notified about the decision on their application?

Successful applicants will receive an email notifying them of an update to their application status.Applicants will then log-in to the KGSP application portal to view their Conditional Offer Letter for admission to the KGSP.

The KGSP does not send rejection letters; not receiving an admissions offer means that the application was not successful.

Can students appeal a KGSP admission decision?

Admissions decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

Why is the KGSP offer of admission conditional?

Successful students will first receive a conditional offer of admission, pending submission of final high school transcripts and Tahsili test scores. The conditions of the offer are outlined in detail in the KGSP Conditional Offer Letter.

STEP 4: Students accept KGSP offer and register for orientation.

How do students accept their KGSP Offer of Admission?

Recipients of the KGSP conditional offer should carefully review the Offer Letter and the Terms and Conditions of the KGSP.Instructions for accepting the offer and returning the signed Terms and Conditions form to the KGSP team will be provided in the Conditional Offer Letter.

What else do students need to do at the time of offer acceptance?

Upon accepting a KGSP conditional offer, students will be asked to register to attend the mandatory pre-departure orientation program which takes place on the KAUST campus in July 2018.This orientation will help prepare students prior to traveling to the United States.

STEP 5: KGSP Students receive KGSP Final Offer Letter.

What do recipients of the KGSP conditional offer need to do to receive the KGSP final offer?

Recipients of the KGSP conditional offer of admission must submit official documents for final KGSP review.These documents include:

Final high school transcript after the second semester

Highest Qodorat test score

Highest Tahsili test score

The KGSP Admissions Committee evaluates final high school performance, and highest test scores before issuing letters of full admission to the KGSP.Students who meet the criteria outlined in the KGSP Conditional Offer Letter will receive an offer letter of full admission to the KGSP and must submit acceptance of the full offer.

What if a student does not meet one of the conditions in the KGSP Conditional Offer Letter?

If a student did not meet the requirements set forth in the Conditional Offer Letter, final admission to the KGSP will not be issued and that student will no longer qualify for the KGSP.

What should students do if they have additional questions about the admission process?

Students should first review the KGSP website and the application guide carefully for full information.If they have additional questions, they may contact the KGSP Team at kgsp.application@kaust.edu.sa